1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a combination endotracheal tube and connector and, more particularly, to such a combination that would enable both an endotracheal pressure monitoring and medication system which permits continued monitoring of patient pressure at an advantageous position during the application of a medication or, alternatively, permits a simultaneous application of two separate medications.
2. Description of Related Art
Ventilators are commonly employed to assist a patient in breathing and include two main lines which are independently connected from the ventilator to separate branched arms from a Y-tube junction. An adapter is inserted into the open stem of the Y-tube for further connection with an endotracheal tube extending from the trachea of a patient. It is often important to measure the respiratory pressure of inhaled gas and the respiratory flow of the patient, along with measuring the composition of the exhaled gas.
Additionally, medicinal drugs can also be introduced to the patient's lungs through an intubated endotracheal tube. This can be accomplished by injecting a pharmacological agent or therapeutic drug into the proximal end of the endotracheal tube and then pressurizing the drug down the tube into the lungs. An example of a drug delivering endotracheal tube is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,224.
An endotracheal tube connector which minimizes any dead space in the respiratory system, which can be a health hazard for very small patients such as newborn babies and discloses a pneumotach, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,543.
As is known, special problems can occur in newborn and pediatric applications of ventilators, and the measurements of airway pressure is important because lungs ventilated with insufficient pressure will produce insufficient O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 exchange. The application of an excessive pressure, however, can produce decrease pulmonary venus return, which lowers cardiac output and/or causes pneumothorax. Thus, attempts to achieve an accurate measurement of airway pressure is important. As can be appreciated, in a ventilator conduit, the dynamic pressure can change at different points along the conduit. These changes in pressure depend on many different variables such as the compliance of the conduit segment, radius of conduit at the pressure measurement site, frequency of the dynamic pressure changes, leaks, constrictions, etc. The intra-alveolar pressure affects O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 exchange, and if the pressure is too high, it can decrease cardiac output and cause pneumothorax. Under routine clinical conditions, direct measurement of dynamic intra-alveolar pressure is generally not feasible. Conventionally, this measurement is taken at a site which is a compromise and is usually measured adjacent the proximal end of the endotracheal tube or at a connector mounting the tube.
Thus, the prior art is still seeking improvements in both the measurement of pressure and in the application of medicinal fluid to a patient who is being subjected to respiratory-assisted breathing.